


Home

by AmayaNoAkatsuki



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Baby Momma Drama, Country Boy Genma, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, GenDaddy, Genma Weekend 2020, Genma is a southern gentleman, Genma wants a home, JUST KISS ALREADY, Kakashi is her favorite uncle, Kinda Parent Trap, Lil Toothpick is his best wingman, Lots of accidental bedroom eyes, Modern Era, Protective Haruno Sakura, Sakura wants a family, Single Dads need love too, Slow Burn, Teacher Sakura, sexy misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:07:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25605568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmayaNoAkatsuki/pseuds/AmayaNoAkatsuki
Summary: Genma always knew that being a single father meant doing what was best for his daughter, whether it be tea parties in the yard or wiping her tears away. And with his parents and his friends there to help him out every step of the way, he likes to think he's done a good job so far. But in the back of his mind, Genma also knew there was something—or rather,someone—missing. And it makes him realize that maybe, he doesn't have to do it all alone.In which Genma falls into an unexpected romance with his daughter's teacher, Sakura. He wants a home. Sakura wants a family. And as for his daughter?"Daddy, I want a mom."
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Shiranui Genma
Comments: 35
Kudos: 58





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> I'm back again with another fic. I had such positive reactions to my GenSaku oneshot, _Like A Glass of Whiskey_ , and there's really not enough stories with this pairing, especially ones actually about romance and not just smut (not that this story won't have any, hahaha), so I decided it was my duty to write another one.
> 
> This one is going to be a GenSaku (obviously) that centers around Genma as a 30-ish year old, single dad and his quest to create a happy, stable home for his daughter, through an unexpected romance with her teacher, Sakura. There's going to be a lot of sugary, wholesome moments mixed in with a bunch of tense, "just kiss me" ones. There's also a lot of drama revolving his daughter's mother, and maybe a little bit about Sakura's past as well.
> 
> So without further ado, welcome to the prologue of Home!

* * *

**Prologue**

* * *

A fire crackles in the center of the yard, projecting elongated shadows along the grass. Sparks pop and float into the air while the flames dance on, fervent with the easy mood.

It's warm tonight, the sweltering heat of summer just beginning to surrender into a colder, more comforting breath, and the skies are alight with all the constellations on bold display. The grass sways despite the lack of wind, whispering their soft goodbyes against Genma's legs as he listens to the cicadas and crickets sing one last song. He looks up at the sky with a relaxed sigh, leans back onto his palms and stretches out his legs, takes in the dazzling eclipse of stars that paint the charcoal night.

He loves nights like this—nights where the many shades of the sky aren't masked by artificial streetlamps and where the crickets' symphony isn't disrupted by the hum of overhead planes. He likes being able to lay back and trace the crystalline embroidery overhead while his friends laugh and joke around him, because it reminds him of summers from decades past and adventures in the woods, bike rides along the train tracks.

Absently, Genma shifts again, closes his eyes as he feels the breath of fatigue graze against his chest. He's exhausted, bleary eyed and a day unshaven; his shoulders ache and all he wants to do is go _home_ and sleep, but part of him isn't quite ready to leave—it's his birthday, after all.

Iwashi sits to his right, idly plucking chords out of his guitar but not really paying attention, more invested in the stories they all trade over the fire. Kakashi's passed out in the hammock further down, lost to the world while Yamato and Kotetsu listen to every conversation with shaking heads and wholehearted chuckles; Aoba stands watch over the grill and Ebisu cracks open a fresh beer, while Izumo and Asuma argue over whose rendition is closer to the truth.

"Then he tripped—smacked right into Arashi's car!"

"Hold on now," Asuma interrupts with a hint of a laugh, leaning forward so an elbow rests upon his knee. He flashes his palm as he speaks, waving his hand in a way that demands pause, but smiling nonetheless. "That is _not_ how that happened."

Izumo mimics his pose. "That's _exactly_ how that happened!"

"No," Asuma insists with the shaking of his head. " _You_ were running your mouth and Zabuza kicked your ass. He straight up _threw you_ into the side of the car." Then, the bearded man huffs and leans back into his chair. "Arashi and my dad beat my ass all up and down Old Road for that dent, by the way."

As Iwashi and Kotetsu snicker, Izumo shoots back, one hand gesturing to himself as he sputters incredulously, _"Me? I_ didn't say anything! It all started because _Obito_ said something about Mangetsu's brother. And _I_ wasn't the one who put the dent in the door."

" _Zabuza threw you into the side of the car,_ " Asuma reiterates, sharing an exasperated but amused look with Yamato and Kotetsu. "How is that not your fault?"

"Because it's not like I threw _myself!_ Zabuza just didn't like me because Mei was into me."

This time, Kotetsu scoffs. "She was _not!_ "

Aloud, Genma snorts and shakes his head, slowly drowning out their bickering with his own thoughts. He remembers that day completely differently than both of them. It was senior year, a surprisingly warm Friday night at the end of September. Homecoming was on the horizon so the excitement of glittery dresses and football, parades and late night bonfires had the whole town in a hell of a tizzy. The first game of the season had been a tense one against their school's most bitter rivals, the Kirigakure Sharks—a game that their school won.

Closing his eyes, Genma can picture it all—the thrum of the marching band, the taste of the cheap beers they coined off the guy at the gas station, the salt on the fries they bought. They had gone to the drive-in diner across the street to celebrate, laughing about something that the beer had wiped away, bodies warm with the haze of mild intoxication. Asuma had begged his older brother, Arashi, for the keys to his Impala for almost a week _just_ so he could impress Kurenai, so he had been overly cautious about anyone so much as _breathing_ on the thing, automatically putting him in a mood. And as his friends, it was his and Kakashi's job to tease the couple into exasperation, which was when Zabuza and his gam had appeared.

They were spouting out insults before they even pulled into the spot beside them, Genma recalls, remembering how they were piled in the bed of Zabuza's honey-striped Chevy. They were grumbling about their loss, throwing dirty looks and bucking their chins in challenge at anyone who bothered to spare them a glance; and while Obito and Izumo and Kotetsu talked their shit, blowing off Kisame and Mangetsu's comments, and Asuma, with his arm draped around Kurenai, brushed past Raiga; it was _Kakashi_ who had _really_ threw the oil into the fire.

He had moved to throw his trash away, but when Zabuza wouldn't let him by, calling him out with something Genma hadn't quite been able to catch, Kakashi _shrugged and tossed his half-empty plate through the window of Zabuza's truck._ Next thing Genma knew, he and Kotetsu were grabbing Kisame to keep him from climbing over a bench and Asuma had an arm around Raiga's neck, while Mangetsu all but tackled Obito. It was three and a half minutes of pure chaos, ending with a winded Izumo, a dent in Arashi's car and a lot of running.

They went all the way up to the park on Old Road after that, trying to hide from their parents for just over a day before Asuma and Kakashi's Pops sniffed them all out and drove them home. His Ma was furious, twisted his ear _real good_ so he could remember its burn every time he even _thought_ about getting into another fight while his Pop smacked the back of his head with a grumbled, _"Idiot."_

 _Man_ , Genma thought with a quirk to his lips, _those were the days_.

To this day, no one really knows who put that nasty dent in Arashi's car. They just all assumed and accepted the idea that Izumo had caused it, whether it be because he was caught in the tackle that took Obito down, or because he was thrown into it. And even if they ever did find out, they'd probably stick to blaming Izumo.

Sighing, Genma straightens up from his spot on the ground, his hands working to brush the dirt from the back of his wranglers, bringing all the attention on to him. "You're leaving?" Kotetsu asks, his tone a lot more sober than his posture. "Already?"

Genma readjusts his ball cap with a shrug, tugs on the ends of his jacket, then on the sleeves. It's only ten o' clock—hardly late, but with his schedule, it may as well have been midnight. "Yeah," He yawns, tilting his head until his spine _pops_. "It's getting late. I gotta get home to my girl."

They accept that without pause or complaint, patting shoulders and tapping knuckles as they say their goodbyes and birthday wishes, and it isn't until he's pulled into his driveway and undone his belt, that Genma _really_ feels the weight of the world on his shoulders. So he sits in the solitude of his truck for a little bit longer, absently listening to the bluesy guitar strumming from the radio with his head dropped back against the headrest and his eyes closed. And he waits.

Because even he needs a break sometimes.

Once the song ends, Genma slips out of his seatbelt and steps out of his pickup, then trudges his way up the front steps as quickly but as quietly as possible. The lights are off but he can see the dull indigo light from the television from the window, which make his brows furrow in contemplation. But as he steps inside and sees the little lump on the couch stir, revealing a head of messy braids, he can't help but smile.

"Welcome back." He barely hears Hayate's greeting from behind the loveseat, followed by the metallic tinkling of Kai's dog-tags.

"Hey," Genma murmurs, rounding the coffee table to kneel beside the couch. "What are you doing up so late?"

Hayate doesn't move from his position sprawled across the smaller couch, nor does he move his arm away from its place draped over his eyes. "She wanted to wait up for you," He replies, tiredly, and with a long, drawn out yawn. "Passed out about fifteen minutes ago."

Genma's fingers gently brush the baby hairs away from the young girl's face, then he carefully scoops her into his arms, blankets and all. Glancing back at his cousin, Genma's expression softens. "Thanks for watching her. I appreciate it."

Hayate waves a hand dismissively, already well on his way to sleep. "Yeah, any time."

**Author's Note:**

> And that's it. That's the prologue.
> 
> I know its shorter than what I'd normally post, but this is just a prologue so I didn't want to get too crazy with it. Because we know me. I'll get crazy with it if you let me. I'll write 9,000 words. You've seen it happen. Don't think I won't.
> 
> But anyway, I'm going through a bit of a dilemma. I need a name for Genma's daughter. I've cycled through several but I can't quite pick one. So I could definitely use some help selecting one, if you guys wouldn't mind! Here's the names I was considering:
> 
> Kaiya Shiranui—meaning _forgiveness_ , which is a reoccurring theme for this fic.  
> Minami Shiranui—meaning _southern_ , which is a reference to several constellations and to Genma  
> Mika Shiranui—meaning _a new moon_ , which relates to celestial bodies/the sky and therefore, Genma  
> Koemi Shiranui—meaning _a swift smile_ , which could relate to Lil Toothpick's personality
> 
> Please let me know in the comments which name you like best. Or if you have a suggestion, let me know! I can't just call this kid Lil Toothpick, after all. So yeah, I hope you guys enjoyed the prologue, and I look forward to seeing you all in the next chapter!


End file.
